It's not as big as the normal flies I've seen but not small either. Has anyone else experienced this?
Not kidding from Duebendorf.
There's a fly that's been buzzing around me for ages. I don't expect it at this time of the year, but it landed on my little finger and I swear it bit me! Is this possible? The area I felt a sting is itching and red.
I've never encountered it before, but this year, I've been 'bitten' several times by flies (normal house type) - much more in the last couple of months.
I think they inject a proboscis, similar to how a mosquito does it.
Could it be a horse fly?
http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Horse-fly
They are very bitey-bitey.
I've not experienced them here, only in the UK and Greece. In the UK they normally go for my dad because he is allergic and the evil things think it's funny when his finger swells up to three times it's size or he has giant lumps on his neck. In Greece, one got me right on my ankle bone once..... Most painful bite I've ever had. And boy do they itch.
My 'bites' we're definitely from the common house fly.
Now it's getting colder outside, the ones that are still around, are seeking warmth ....... and food - blood will do, if they can't get shit.
I had one bite me on my knee, through my jeans, earlier this summer. nasty little creatures imo....
Common houseflies lack any means of biting anything. If it was a similar enough for you to be convinced it was a housefly and not a horse fly, it's probably a stable fly .
We've had them too and they do bite. Much more annoying and persistent than the flies we've had in previous years.
It looks like we've had this discussion before:
and also to some extent here . . .
Horse flies are generally bigger than normal flies - Oldhand mentions they are smaller.
We have been bitten quite a bit over the last couple of weeks - and we are suspecting that the warm autumn has kept the bugs alive longer - and they are due to die off soon. We both gotten bitten last night - small red dot type bites
it must be
Which is why I cited a stable fly. They look nearly identical, especially when buzzing around irritatingly.
House Flies - These flies do not bite; however, they can be very irritating.
House flies prefer organic material containing 40% to 70% moisture (such as manure) to breed. These flies carry many different pathogens, and easily transmit disease.
Stables Flies - Unlike similar looking house flies, stable flies bite. Females require blood to reproduce. Males also draw blood from animals.
Horn Flies - These biting, blood sucking flies lay their eggs in fresh cow manure. Horn flies look like miniature house flies and are extremely irritating, causing cattle production losses due to energy and time spent fighting (stamping, tail switching, etc.).
Face Flies - These flies also resemble house flies, but are usually found on pastured cows. Face flies lay their eggs in very fresh manure. Face flies are not capable of biting; however, they feed on secretions commonly found on the faces of cattle, such as around the eyes. The face fly is most noted for transmitting pink eye.
Horse Flies - In comparison to other flies, horse flies are very large. Although horse fly numbers are generally low, it only takes a few to cause extreme agitation among animals due to their painful bites.
Only happens at this time of year- when they know the season is over and their time's up. Last night I got bitten by the blighters twice on the ankle and once on the big toe! We do live in a rural area with cows and horse nearby.
Cheers, it was a persistant little thing and I now know why I've woke up with red bites twice in the last week, I'd go for the 2cnd in the picture. Can they make you ill, I've got a horrible stomach bug thats been on and off since Thursday.
My daughter was having fun this summer with a bug catcher and she happened to catch a horsefly. We didn't know you could get them here either. My husband got bitten by them too a few times out on the bike.
Horse flies are totally different, larger and with grey spots- and their bite is totally different too. These small flies' bite is very itchy but not very raised and go off quickly.
They can be vectors for all sorts of things- but we've never had any trouble. Hope you get better very soon. More likely it was passed on to you by one of the kids than the biting fly. Take care.